Organisation profile

Sustainability has many facets. Inter- and transdisciplinary research and teaching characterize the School of Sustainability. Scientists in our research projects work together in the laboratory, on the heath, in the grassland, in the classroom, with the city administration, with farmers, with non-governmental organizations, with companies, with students in the lecture hall and of course at their desks.

Furthermore, we work with regional and national political actors, e.g. ministries, as well as international organizations, e.g. UNEP, UNESCO, EU. We are part of national and international bodies, e.g. sustainability advisory boards of companies, member of the German Sustainability Award, World Biodiversity Council (IPBES), in order to contribute to social change with scientific findings.

Main research areas

Vision
Sustainability science investigates on a theoretical, conceptual and empirical level how to promote sustainable development and how to find and implement effective solutions for current social and ecological challenges. The aim is to create a more sustainable future.

Sustainability researchers are called upon to take responsibility for their research, which is anchored in existing scientific knowledge and methods and serves to make the world a better place for everyone.

Mission
We promote change towards a sustainable future by developing theories, concepts and practices of inclusive education for sustainability, research, governance and management.

We acknowledge the diversity and dynamics of values, norms and behaviour and contribute with transdisciplinary methods to ensuring that tensions and differences between different disciplines, methods, topics and standards are fruitfully taken up and used with productive compromises and further developments towards sustainable development.

Principles
The School of Sustainability is guided by the normative concepts of ecological system integrity and social and economic justice.

Ecological system integrity refers to the safeguarding of life-support systems, as well as the maintenance of the well-being of life on Earth.

With social and economic justice we strive for a world in which all people can fulfil their potential without endangering system integrity and the well-being of others.

Information about the School
The School of Sustainability includes...
... ca. 25 professors
... ca. 100 research assistants
... ca. 1000 students in Bachelor and Master courses

In various inter- and transdisciplinary projects we are constantly researching and working together on changes and solutions for current challenges.

  1. Published

    Planning for Sea Spaces I: Processes, Practices, and Future Perspectives

    Walsh, C., Sielker, F., Smith, G. & Crawford, J., 04.03.2022, In: Planning Practice and Research. 37, 2, p. 131-135 5 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsOther (editorial matter etc.)Research

  2. Published

    Planning for Sea Spaces II: Towards an Agenda for Research

    Crawford, J., Walsh, C., Sielker, F. & Smith, G., 06.2022, In: Planning Practice and Research. 37, 3, p. 269-275 7 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsOther (editorial matter etc.)Research

  3. Published

    Planning for Sea Spaces I: Processes, Practices and Future Perspectives

    Walsh, C. (Editor), Sielker, F. (Editor), Smith, G. (Editor) & Crawford, J. (Editor), 03.2022, London: Taylor and Francis Inc. 138 p. (Planning Practice and Research; vol. 37, no. 2)

    Research output: Books and anthologiesSpecial Journal issueResearch

  4. Published

    Plant and vegetation diversity in European wood-pastures

    Garbarino, M., Bergmeier, E., Roellig, M. & Sammul, M., 01.01.2014, European Wood-pastures in Transition: A Social-ecological Approach. Hartel, T. & Plieninger, T. (eds.). Taylor and Francis Inc., p. 113-131 19 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapterpeer-review

  5. Published

    “Plantas que toda la vida han estado”: una co-investigación alrededor de la cocina y las relaciones bioculturales asociadas a plantas alimenticias locales en la ruralidad de Bogotá

    Consuegra, C., Ortiz-Przychodzka, S., Cely-Santos, M., van der Hammen, M. C. & Pérez, D., 07.2021, In: Revista de Antropología y Sociología: Virajes. 23, 2, p. 163-185 23 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    Plant Community of the Year 2024: Vegetation of wet meadows (Calthion palustris)

    Schneider, S., Bergmeier, E., Boch, S., Ewald, J., Härdtle, W., Heinken, T., Hölzel, N., Horn, K., Lütt, S., Remy, D., Ruthsatz, B., Schwabe, A., Tischew, S., Becker, T. & Dierschke, H., 2023, In: Tuexenia. 43, p. 277-334 58 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    Plant density modifies root system architecture in spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) through a change in nodal root number

    Hecht, V. L., Temperton, V. M., Nagel, K. A., Rascher, U., Pude, R. & Postma, J. A., 15.06.2019, In: Plant and Soil. 439, 1-2, p. 179-200 22 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published

    Plant diversity and composition compensate for negative effects of urbanization on foraging bumble bees

    Hülsmann, M., von Wehrden, H., Klein, A. M. & Leonhardt, S. D., 01.11.2015, In: Apidologie. 46, 6, p. 760-770 11 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    Plant diversity effects on pollinating and herbivorous insects can be linked to plant stoichiometry

    Abbas, M., Klein, A. M., Ebeling, A., Oelmann, Y., Ptacnik, R., Weisser, W. W. & Hillebrand, H., 03.2014, In: Basic and Applied Ecology. 15, 2, p. 169-178 10 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    Plant diversity in a changing agricultural landscape mosaic in Southern Transylvania (Romania)

    Loos, J., Turtureanu, P. D., Wehrden, H. V., Hanspach, J., Dorresteijn, I., Frink, J. P. & Fischer, J., 01.2015, In: Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment. 199, p. 350-357 8 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review